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Downcity/Providence Retail

AriPVD

By AriPVD
in Providence

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

Posted
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that's the thing. It is made up of little stores. How will it become an anchor tenant and other stores without really changing the building?

changing 1 half of 1 floor wouldn't be a sweeping change of the building. they'd have to knock down some walls, but the rest of the building would remain intact. i've only been in there to attempt to shop once or twice just before they closed (their hours just plain suck for people who don't work downtown), so i am not intimately familiar with the building. from what i remember, the floors are "stepped" with the bottom floor retail space being longer (from the edge of the building to the main corridor).

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CtownMikey Burg

CtownMikey

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I know my posts dont always address issues that are realistic.. BUt..Just for some fantasy convo... I was wondering about Providence Place and close by rivals such as the massive, and not so far in distance, Natick Collection (mall info below)

My concern is what direction our mall is going in.. I'm not sure if the mall can support additions.. I remember reading somewhere that it was designed to hold future condos above the stores. This was a long time ago. Anyways, is the mall going to continue to look for high end retailers? And if so, and no expansion is possible, then where will the lower end stores go.. westminster and area? I think the mall will always be a statewide "attraction"... but I can see its regional (southern new engand) draw being chipped away at by these massive malls in the suburbs with much better selection.

http://www.natickcollection.com/html/mallinfo.asp

7000 car garage..270 stores.. has all 5 Abercrombie concept stores -->(not an interesting fact to everyone here who posts.. I Know! But its the point that matters that the latest AF concept -->"Gilly Hicks" used this mall as its first store location..making it the first mall in the country to have all 5 AF stores.. why not nyc or la or sf??

Anchors

* J.C. Penney (210,000 sq. ft.) (opened as Jordan Marsh, converted to Macy's 1996, closed in favor of Filene's 2006, reopened as JCPenney 2007)

* Lord & Taylor (115,000 sq. ft.)

* Macy's (210,000 sq. ft.) (opened as Filene's, converted to Macy's 2006)

* Sears (190,000 sq. ft.)

* Neiman Marcus (102,000 sq. ft.)

* Nordstrom (144,000 sq. ft.)

Major stores

* Apple Store

* Burberry (5,424 sq. ft.)

* Tiffany & Co. (5,295 sq. ft.)

* Zara (9,000 sq. ft.)

* Calvin Klein (13,000 sq. ft.)

* Louis Vuitton (3,637 sq. ft)

* Gucci (5,005 sq. ft.)

* Bottega Veneta (2,700 sq. ft.)

* Hugo Boss

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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the mall is nice to have and all, but it's a world unto itself downtown. while it brings people into the state, it doesn't do all that much for the city anymore. it was a good quick fix to help the city in a time of need, but now it's basically a microcosm... shopping, dining, and entertainment all under one roof.

i say it still attracts quite a few people from SE MA and eastern CT. part of the problem, though, is our sales tax. and taxes go into making it more difficult to attract businesses there. i don't think there's much more room to expand either. our suburban population is nothing compared to that of natick either. people are more willing to drive farther distances for things there than they are here (which is good in a way, you don't really need to go far to get what you need in RI, unless you're in south county or along the CT line).

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TheAnk Hamlet

TheAnk

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Natick.. Is FAR.. Its like a full hour going 80 on 495.. Will this and the Foxboro one take some business? Sure.. Does Wrentham, sure.. But they are differentiated I think.. I think the only common to them all is "destination shopping"..

There are a fair share of people who hit PVD Place and venture around the city.. Things like Waterplace Park and the overpass to Westin add value.. I have been incredibly impressed with the increase in foot traffic downtown.. And it seems that there are tons of people crossing Memorial from the mall to downtown.. I know its just one guy's perception, but it SEEMS like the mall is adding value to the rest of downcity..

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quente Whistle-Stop

quente

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TV just said that Sharper Image is closing 80 of its 184 stores. Wonder if one of them will be Providence?

I heard on the radio this morning that the Sharper Image will be closing its Providence Place store. In addition, J. Jill Petites will also be closing.

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quente Whistle-Stop

quente

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ProJo: Businessman facing federal fraud charges

This is probably old news, but for those of you wondering why Biggles Toy Store on Westminster Street closed in 2006, this article in today's ProJo makes the connection between David Whitaker, the owner of Mixitforme, an electronic goods company related to the toy store, that bilked nearly $13 million from people. Two other people have been charged in the scam: Cory Johnson, Whitaker's former partner, and David Carpenter, a former BankRI branch manager.

The toy store was shut down by a court-appointed receiver - I assume to help pay for damages. I love toy stores and I was sorry to see it go at the time.

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Pseudo_Work Hamlet

Pseudo_Work

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im talking about the one mentioned in the projo article that had an opening date of april but no name was given.. maybe a 2 month old article by now?

Tini's, on Washington, is set to open in April.

Does anyone know what happened to Worn Again Vintage downtown? It's gone, right?

It moved to the space on Steeple above New Rivers and changed its name to "1793 shoppe", after the building's construction date. So yeah it's kinda gone, but not really. They shoulda kept the old name.

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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When are they changing the name of that building to Mercury Central? How can they have food there?! It is like a superfund site.

If it was not reported in the paper of record, it didn't happen, right?

a meat market on each corner of the same building? i am not sure i understand.

The Eagle silly, you ain't allowed in there, I'll stuff a sock down your pants and take you sometime.

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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Its eventual replacement is to be named "Aspire," correct?

I believe the name is still in flux, but last I heard that was the one (for better or worse).

They will be closed for a short time to renovate the interior. I understand it will be elegant modern. It will be open 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. There will continue to be a sizable bar area and I believe they plan to do al fresco dining in Grace Park during the warmer months.

L'Epicureo and the hotel were separate businesses, the new owner of the hotel has bought out the restaurant and will be owning both now.

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